While the concepts and principles of lifestyle medicine are not new to healthcare, the importance of the field has started to come back to the forefront of medical practice. The pillars of lifestyle medicine are the foundation of true health. Evidence-based, lifestyle behavior changes help in preventing, treating, and even reversing some chronic diseases. Two examples of lifestyle medicine pillars include a predominantly plant-based dietary lifestyle and regular physical activity.
Lifestyle medicine focuses on helping people understand the benefits of getting regular exercise, adequate sleep, managing or reducing high-stress levels, and avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol use. Through the use of motivational interviewing and health coaching, lifestyle-related behaviors can be modified in order to improve long-term health outcomes.
For example, if you’re stressed out all the time or you have a high-pressure job, it can have a detrimental impact on your long-term health. Stress can affect your blood pressure and your heart rate, and it can alter the levels of some hormones in a way that negatively impacts your health. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a strong risk factor for several chronic conditions including chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and stroke. High stress can also negatively affect your sleep. Lack of good sleep due to stress can worsen overall health and can lead to anxiety and depression. Stress management is an important, often overlooked, component of true health.
If you suffer from a high-pressure job, you can try talking with your boss or supervisor about making possible changes to your workload or time management. Sometimes there are relatively simple changes that can make a large difference. You can also do activities outside of work to help, such as going on a 20-minute walk or sitting in a quiet room with your eyes closed.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction is an important tool that allows you to address stress in a structured way that looks internally, helps you calm down, and focuses on breathing and meditation. There is strong evidence that mindfulness practices are a great way to address day-to-day stress.
January is a time for New Year’s resolutions. Another word for resolutions would be goals. If we don’t set a goal, if we don’t put our minds to something, we’re probably not going to accomplish it. Look at resolutions as a goal you’re setting for yourself but be careful to make your goals realistic and truly achievable. Make sure goals are SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
If you struggle to reach your goals, readjust and make the goal more attainable. Keep moving forward in the right direction with regard to your health and wellness. Gradually progress your lifestyle improvements in a way that is sustainable and long-term—improvements that can last the rest of your life.
Allow health, wellness, and longevity to be your motivation, the reason you’re improving your lifestyle. Eventually, the lifestyle changes you make can become normal life for you. That’s the ultimate goal: to create healthy habits for a long life of health and wellness.
To listen to the full podcast episode featuring MPAS faculty Tyler Sommer, click here.
